Champlain Township updates storm cleanup information

Par Raymond Berthiaume
Champlain Township updates storm cleanup information
Champlain Township staff are receiving numerous calls from residents about cleanup operations around the municipality following the May long weekend storm and also about help available for residents to deal with the aftermath of the storm.

The township has a detailed update on the situation as of May 24 posted on its website at https://www.champlain.ca/en/news/power-outage-updates-on-measures-in-place-in-champlain.aspx and on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Champlain.ON/posts/3319097301668703. The township has asked local media for help in updating residents on restoration of power, removal of fallen trees and other debris, restoration of services, and assistance for residents.

Situation status

Township staff are monitoring the situation and several temporary emergency actions are in place to deal with interruptions to normal municipal operations and services for residents.

Hydro One crews are working to restore power to areas of the municipality affected by the storm. Cassburn Road is open again to traffic following repairs related to the storm.

Work on removal of downed trees and power lines along County Road 17, Front Road and John Street. Motorists are urged to obey road closure signs to avoid interfering with cleanup and repair work.

Hydro One has an SMS alert system to provide updates through home computers, cellular phones and other mobile devices on when power may be restored in areas. Residents can sign up to the service at www.hydroone.com/request-a-service/outage-alerts.

Trees and branches

The township has permission from the provincial government for a temporary reopening of the municipal landfill site in L’Orignal for the benefit of residents cleaning up their yards of branches and fallen trees from the storm. The landfill at 1`897 Cassburn Road is open for free drop-off of storm debris from residents who bring proof of residency in the township. Anyone from outside of the township is not allowed to bring their yard debris to the landfill.

The landfill reopened Tuesday and will remain open Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cleanup work

Municipal staff are cleaning up the township’s major parks and smaller neighbourhood parks of debris from the storm. Clean-up work is also ongoing at the municipal campground in L’Orignal.

Neighbourhood garbage collection and recycling bin pickups will continue as scheduled. For this week and next week, from May 30 to June 3 the bag limits for garbage are suspended to allow residents to dispose of all food that spoiled during the power outage. Residents must make sure that spoiled food is securely bagged for disposal.

Anyone who missed the chance to put out extra bags of garbage as part of their regular neighbourhood pickup this week can take their extra garbage to the landfill on Saturday, May 28, for free disposal.

The temporary suspension of bag limits for garbage does not mean a « large item » collection is in place. Only garbage in garbage cans or extra bags are allowed during this period. Township staff will not accept any construction waste or roofing shingle pieces put out for collection.

Help for residents

A 24-hour emergency response team was set up at the L’Orignal fire station on Elgin Street to help residents who need drinking water for their homes or other types of assistance. The power outage has not affected the municipal water system. Residents who have sump pumps can contact the emergency response team for help with temporary use of a municipal generator to run their sump pumps for a short time to prevent basement flooding.

No open-air fires are allowed in Vankleek Hill or in L’Orignal. For the duration there is a ban on any outdoor fires in the township’s rural areas unless the homeowner has a permit. Requests for permits go through the municipal website.

Further updates on the storm cleanup situation and services restoration will be posted on the municipal website and the township’s Facebook page.

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